Huntsville native and professional runner Ryan Ford is quickly becoming a name to know in the world of distance running. Known for his relentless work ethic and deep-rooted love for the sport, Ryan has built an impressive resume of accomplishments in his running journey, and he is just getting started.
When did your passion for running first begin?
When I was 10 years old, I remember that my mom was doing a “Couch to 5k” program and I decided to run/walk with her over the couple of months that she was doing this program. My parents were not runners growing up but my dad at the time had gotten into competing in local huntsville road races. From there I continued to occasionally run with him. I had always played soccer growing up and by the time I was in the 7th grade, my soccer season switched from fall to spring, so I decided to sign up for cross country that fall to have a sport to participate in. I ended up getting fairly good at running very quickly and it only took a year or two before I realized that running should be my main sport and I quit all other sports to focus on it fully.
What does a typical training week look like for you?
When I am marathon training I work around 12-14 day cycles, so I usually have 2 hard workout days of interval based training and a day where I run 20-24 miles with a few moderate pickups in the 2nd half of the run. For all the days in between I am running a lot of easy miles. These easy miles are typically 2:00-2:30 minutes slower than my marathon pace. In the few months leading up to the race, I was running in total anywhere from 90 to 120 miles a week based on where I was in my training and how my legs were feeling after workouts. Right now I am back to running around 80-90 as I shift my focus to some shorter races for the time being.
What feelings did you have after finishing 10th at the Boston Marathon with the 4th fastest American time?
Boston was a great experience. My goal going in was top 10 but I didn’t realize how fast I would have to run, so the time came as a nice surprise to me. This being only my 2nd marathon I didn’t quite have a sense of how to set a time goal. I am a very competitive guy and there were many great American marathoners in the race so I was more focused on racing and beating as many of those guys as I could.
Can you share what it felt like to win he Cotton Row Run this year?
I am so glad I was able to return to the Cotton Row Run this year. I competed in the event several times as a kid, but it had been years since I was able to return to my hometown to compete. I got to meet a lot of people who have been following my running since I was in high school and it was great to be able to race in front of a home crowd. The race itself was difficult, as my legs were still tired and recovering from Boston, but I will do it again in the future because it felt like I was giving back to the Huntsville running community in some way and I’m very thankful for that.
What do you see for the future of your running career?
The ultimate goal is to make the US Marathon Team in 2028. That means placing top 3 at the US Olympic Trials Marathon in 2028. With that being a ways off, my immediate goal is to stay healthy and consistently put in the work over the next few years. When it comes to the marathon I would like to continue to place and do well primarily in the US Major marathons of New York, Boston, and Chicago. I want to be known as a guy that is always going to be there competing for a top spot. Outside of the marathon I want to continue to find shorter races I can compete in to continue to improve myself in multiple events.
What is the biggest challenge you’ve faced as a professional runner, and how have you worked through it?
My biggest challenge was last summer when I had the longest injury of my career. I’m fortunate that I can say my longest injury was only 6 weeks, but I couldn’t run at all, so for someone who values consistency and routine as much as I do, it felt like forever. During this time I would use the bike and elliptical to continue to keep my aerobic system at decent fitness.
What’s the one piece of advice you’d give young runners and aspiring pros about chasing big dreams?
Don’t think you have to accomplish things at a specific age to be “on pace” to achieve your dreams. Everyone develops at different rates, and I am a prime example that success is not linear. There were times where it felt like while I was continuing to work hard, my fitness was plateauing. I questioned whether I would ever get faster, but I believe that good things come to those who are patient and consistently work toward their goals.